Australia Bushfires: Over 150 houses burned down; At least 3 dead. Watch video to know more.

Australia Bushfires: Over 150 houses burned down; At least 3 dead

Authorities in Australia's Queensland and New South Wales states declared a state of emergency on Monday as the country's eastern region prepared for "catastrophic" fire conditions.

People in areas deemed at the greatest risk were urged to evacuate before forecast unprecedented hot and windy conditions on Tuesday, which officials fear will fan fires already burning.

Three people were killed and more than <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/australia-bushfires-over-150-houses-burned-down-at-least-3-dead-261253">150 homes were destroyed</a> over the weekend by bushfires in northern New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland.

Lawmakers said the state of emergency - giving firefighters broad powers to control government resources, force evacuations, close roads and shut down utilities - would remain in place for seven days.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australians-warned-worst-bushfires-may-be-yet-to-come-261097">Bushfires</a> are a common and deadly threat in Australia’s hot, dry summers but the current severe outbreak, well before the summer peak, has caught many by surprise.

"Everybody has to be on alert no matter where you are and everybody has to be assume the worst and we cannot allow complacency to creep in," NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney.

Australia's most populous city avoided the worst of the weekend conditions, but authorities have raised the forecast for greater Sydney region to catastrophic fire danger for Tuesday. It is the first time the city has been rated at that level since new fire danger ratings were introduced in 2009.

Temperatures in greater Sydney are set to soar on Tuesday to more than 34 degrees Celsius, with strong, dry winds.

"Tomorrow is about protecting life, protecting property and ensuring everybody is safe as possible," Berejiklian said.

Home to more than 5 million people, Sydney is ringed by large areas of bushland, much of which remains tinder dry following little rain across the country's east coast in recent months.

NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons urged people to evacuate before conditions worsened, warning that new fires can begin up to 20km&nbsp;ahead of established fires.

"Relocate while things are calm without the pressure or

anxiety of fires bearing down the back door," he said on Monday.

Authorities stressed that even fireproofed homes will not be able to withstand catastrophic conditions, which Fitzsimmons described as "when lives are lost, it's where people die".

Fitzsimmons said an additional 400 firefighters on 50 trucks are heading to NSW from the neighbouring state of Victoria to assist local authorities in tackling the 18 fires across the state, two of which are deemed out of control by authorities.

In February 2009, Australia's worst bushfires on record destroyed thousands of homes in Victoria, killing 173 people and injuring 414 on a day the media dubbed "Black Saturday".

The current fires, however, come weeks ahead of the Southern hemisphere summer, sharpening attention on the policies of Australia's conservative government to address climate change.

Environmental activists and opposition lawmakers have used the fires to call on Prime Minister Scott Morrison, a supporter of the coal industry, to strengthen the country's emissions targets.

Morrison declined to answer questions about whether the fires were linked to climate change as he visited fire-hit areas in the north of NSW over the weekend.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack on Monday accused climate activists of politicising a tragedy.

"What we are doing is taking real and meaningful action to reduce global emissions without shutting down all our industries," McCormack told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio.

"They don't need the ravings of some pure, enlightened and woke capital city greenies at this time, when they're trying to save their homes, when in fact they're going out in many cases saving other peoples' homes and leaving their own homes at risk."

Authorities in Australia's Queensland and New South Wales states declared a state of emergency on Monday as the country's eastern region prepared for "catastrophic" fire conditions.

Authorities in Australia's Queensland and New South Wales states declared a state of emergency on Monday as the country's eastern region prepared for "catastrophic" fire conditions. People in areas deemed at the greatest risk were urged to evacuate before forecast unprecedented hot and windy conditions on Tuesday, which officials fear will fan fires already burning. Three people were killed and more than 150 homes were destroyed over the weekend by bushfires in northern New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland. Lawmakers said the state of emergency - giving firefighters broad powers to control government resources, force evacuations, close roads and shut down utilities - would remain in place for seven days. Bushfires are a common and deadly threat in Australia’s hot, dry summers but the current severe outbreak, well before the summer peak, has caught many by surprise. "Everybody has to be on alert no matter where you are and everybody has to be assume the worst and we cannot allow complacency to creep in," NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney. Australia's most populous city avoided the worst of the weekend conditions, but authorities have raised the forecast for greater Sydney region to catastrophic fire danger for Tuesday. It is the first time the city has been rated at that level since new fire danger ratings were introduced in 2009. Temperatures in greater Sydney are set to soar on Tuesday to more than 34 degrees Celsius, with strong, dry winds. "Tomorrow is about protecting life, protecting property and ensuring everybody is safe as possible," Berejiklian said. Home to more than 5 million people, Sydney is ringed by large areas of bushland, much of which remains tinder dry following little rain across the country's east coast in recent months. NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons urged people to evacuate before conditions worsened, warning that new fires can begin up to 20km ahead of established fires. "Relocate while things are calm without the pressure or anxiety of fires bearing down the back door," he said on Monday. Authorities stressed that even fireproofed homes will not be able to withstand catastrophic conditions, which Fitzsimmons described as "when lives are lost, it's where people die". Fitzsimmons said an additional 400 firefighters on 50 trucks are heading to NSW from the neighbouring state of Victoria to assist local authorities in tackling the 18 fires across the state, two of which are deemed out of control by authorities. In February 2009, Australia's worst bushfires on record destroyed thousands of homes in Victoria, killing 173 people and injuring 414 on a day the media dubbed "Black Saturday". The current fires, however, come weeks ahead of the Southern hemisphere summer, sharpening attention on the policies of Australia's conservative government to address climate change. Environmental activists and opposition lawmakers have used the fires to call on Prime Minister Scott Morrison, a supporter of the coal industry, to strengthen the country's emissions targets. Morrison declined to answer questions about whether the fires were linked to climate change as he visited fire-hit areas in the north of NSW over the weekend. Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack on Monday accused climate activists of politicising a tragedy. "What we are doing is taking real and meaningful action to reduce global emissions without shutting down all our industries," McCormack told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio. "They don't need the ravings of some pure, enlightened and woke capital city greenies at this time, when they're trying to save their homes, when in fact they're going out in many cases saving other peoples' homes and leaving their own homes at risk."

Australian authorities in Queensland, New South Wales urge evacuations ahead of 'catastrophic' fire threat

Dozens of bushfires raged out of control across eastern Australia on Friday, blocking escape routes for residents and shuttering the main highway linking major cities on the country's Pacific coast.

More than 90 blazes pockmarked the New South Wales countryside, 50 of them uncontained, tearing through tens of thousands of hectares.

"We are in uncharted territory," New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told public broadcaster ABC. "We have never seen this many fires concurrently at emergency warning level."

Authorities said fires had breached containment lines and forced the closure of the Pacific Highway linking Sydney and Brisbane in two places.

Emergency warnings were introduced for 14 flashpoints, bringing warnings to evacuate immediately.

In some areas, residents were told to simply "seek shelter as it is too late to leave".

Local radio stopped normal programming and provided instructions about how to try to survive fires if trapped at home or in a vehicle.

A prolonged drought, strong winds, low humidity and high temperatures have conspired to make the landscape a tinderbox.

"It's a very dynamic, volatile and dangerous set of circumstances," said Fitzsimmons.

Bushfires are common in Australia, but the country is gearing up for busy bushfire season with record temperatures predicted for the summer months.

Dozens of bushfires raged out of control across eastern Australia on Friday, blocking escape routes for residents and shuttering the main highway linking major cities on the country's Pacific coast.

Dozens of bushfires raged out of control across eastern Australia on Friday, blocking escape routes for residents and shuttering the main highway linking major cities on the country's Pacific coast. More than 90 blazes pockmarked the New South Wales countryside, 50 of them uncontained, tearing through tens of thousands of hectares. "We are in uncharted territory," New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told public broadcaster ABC. "We have never seen this many fires concurrently at emergency warning level." Authorities said fires had breached containment lines and forced the closure of the Pacific Highway linking Sydney and Brisbane in two places. Emergency warnings were introduced for 14 flashpoints, bringing warnings to evacuate immediately. In some areas, residents were told to simply "seek shelter as it is too late to leave". Local radio stopped normal programming and provided instructions about how to try to survive fires if trapped at home or in a vehicle. A prolonged drought, strong winds, low humidity and high temperatures have conspired to make the landscape a tinderbox. "It's a very dynamic, volatile and dangerous set of circumstances," said Fitzsimmons. Bushfires are common in Australia, but the country is gearing up for busy bushfire season with record temperatures predicted for the summer months.

'Uncharted territory' as bushfires rage across Australia's east

A major police operation was undertaken in Sydney when a man went on a random stabbing spree. Watch this video to know more.

Australia: Man goes on random stabbing spree

The police in Australia apprehended a man who allegedly stabbed multiple people near York Street in Sydney, local media reported on Tuesday. An eyewitness Megan Hayley said a man with a large kitchen knife chased several people through a busy office district and "five or six others were chasing him behind, trying to stop him, they caught him and restrained him" with chairs and a plastic crate, news agency AFP reported.

How Sydney attacker was restrained by locals with milk crates and chairs

Man with Knife arrested in Sydney after major police op. The man was wielding a butcher's knife

WION Dispatch: Woman Stabbed in Downtown Sydney

After a man went on a stabbing attack in downtown Sydney killing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/woman-injured-in-knife-attack-in-sydneys-central-business-district-242683">one woman and wounding</a> another, police said he was carrying a knife and a computer thumb drive containing information about deadly attacks in North America and New Zealand when he went on the frenzy as a "lone actor".

"Our counter-terrorist command immediately stood up and the joint counter-terrorist team, that includes New South Wales Police, state and federal agencies have assessed all the available information in relation to this crime and it is not currently classed as a terrorist incident," Mick Fuller, commissioner of New South Wales police, said.

"Obviously as the investigation continues we will reassess that," Fuller added.

Watch Video:

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The incident brought mid-afternoon traffic in Sydney to a standstill and sparked a police investigation into <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/man-accused-of-sydney-knife-attack-retrained-by-brave-bystanders-242629">how the accused man</a>, aged 21, went from living with his parents to what police said was a terrible crime.

"He is by definition at the moment a lone actor. Information was found on him that would suggest he has some ideologies in relation to terrorism but he has no links to terrorism," the police commissioner said, adding, "there is no current intelligence on this individual and he has no apparent links to other terrorist organisations."

As far as the death toll was concerned, the police did not say how the first woman died but said the man was responsible for both attacks. The unidentified man had also tried unsuccessfully to stab other people, police said which was termed as an "unprovoked attack". 
&nbsp;

After a man went on a stabbing attack in downtown Sydney killing one woman and wounding another, police said he was carrying a knife and a computer thumb drive containing information about deadly attacks in North America and New Zealand when he went on the frenzy as a "lone actor".

After a man went on a stabbing attack in downtown Sydney killing one woman and wounding another, police said he was carrying a knife and a computer thumb drive containing information about deadly attacks in North America and New Zealand when he went on the frenzy as a "lone actor". "Our counter-terrorist command immediately stood up and the joint counter-terrorist team, that includes New South Wales Police, state and federal agencies have assessed all the available information in relation to this crime and it is not currently classed as a terrorist incident," Mick Fuller, commissioner of New South Wales police, said. "Obviously as the investigation continues we will reassess that," Fuller added. Watch Video: The incident brought mid-afternoon traffic in Sydney to a standstill and sparked a police investigation into how the accused man, aged 21, went from living with his parents to what police said was a terrible crime. "He is by definition at the moment a lone actor. Information was found on him that would suggest he has some ideologies in relation to terrorism but he has no links to terrorism," the police commissioner said, adding, "there is no current intelligence on this individual and he has no apparent links to other terrorist organisations." As far as the death toll was concerned, the police did not say how the first woman died but said the man was responsible for both attacks. The unidentified man had also tried unsuccessfully to stab other people, police said which was termed as an "unprovoked attack".

Sydney knife attack currently not classed as a terrorist incident: Police

Sydney knife attack: How 'heroes' restrained the offender

A woman was taken to hospital after being stabbed in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sydneys-central-business-district-sealed-after-alleged-knife-attack-242601">downtown Sydney</a> on Tuesday in what appeared to be an unprovoked attack by a man who was restrained by members of the public and then taken into custody, police said.

The<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/man-accused-of-sydney-knife-attack-retrained-by-brave-bystanders-242629"> unidentified man</a> had also tried unsuccessfully to stab other people, police said, in an incident that brought the central business district in Australia's largest city to a standstill in the early afternoon.

"We have a female person with a stab wound to the back currently being treated by paramedics and is en route to a Sydney hospital," Police Superintendent Gavin Wood told reporters in Sydney.

He said the woman's injuries were not life-threatening.

Wood also said the attack appeared to be unprovoked but police were keeping an open mind.

Police were also investigating whether the body of a woman found inside an apartment near where the stabbing took place was linked to the incident, a New South Wales state police spokeswoman said.

Video images on Twitter showed a young man running across a city intersection and jumping onto the hood of a car, waving what appeared to be a long-bladed knife.

Watch: How Sydney attacker was restrained by locals with milk crates and chairs

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The man, who was yelling, fell to the ground when the car moved and was confronted by a person holding a chair, the video showed. It was unclear what the man was calling out.

Other footage showed the man pinned to the ground by several people holding two chairs and a milk crate on top of him.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison praised those who stopped the assailant.

"The attacker is now in police custody following the brave actions of those who were present at the scene and were able to ... restrain him," Morrison said.

A woman who answered the telephone at a Subway store near the scene told Reuters, "We saw the person with a knife over there bleeding.

"The cops are here and they blocked the road right now, so we can't go outside. They said, 'It's a crime scene, you can't come out,'" said the woman, who declined to give her name.

Police said the man was acting alone.

A woman was taken to hospital after being stabbed in downtown Sydney on Tuesday in what appeared to be an unprovoked attack by a man who was restrained by members of the public and then taken into custody, police said.

A woman was taken to hospital after being stabbed in downtown Sydney on Tuesday in what appeared to be an unprovoked attack by a man who was restrained by members of the public and then taken into custody, police said. The unidentified man had also tried unsuccessfully to stab other people, police said, in an incident that brought the central business district in Australia's largest city to a standstill in the early afternoon. "We have a female person with a stab wound to the back currently being treated by paramedics and is en route to a Sydney hospital," Police Superintendent Gavin Wood told reporters in Sydney. He said the woman's injuries were not life-threatening. Wood also said the attack appeared to be unprovoked but police were keeping an open mind. Police were also investigating whether the body of a woman found inside an apartment near where the stabbing took place was linked to the incident, a New South Wales state police spokeswoman said. Video images on Twitter showed a young man running across a city intersection and jumping onto the hood of a car, waving what appeared to be a long-bladed knife. Watch: How Sydney attacker was restrained by locals with milk crates and chairs × The man, who was yelling, fell to the ground when the car moved and was confronted by a person holding a chair, the video showed. It was unclear what the man was calling out. Other footage showed the man pinned to the ground by several people holding two chairs and a milk crate on top of him. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison praised those who stopped the assailant. "The attacker is now in police custody following the brave actions of those who were present at the scene and were able to ... restrain him," Morrison said. A woman who answered the telephone at a Subway store near the scene told Reuters, "We saw the person with a knife over there bleeding. "The cops are here and they blocked the road right now, so we can't go outside. They said, 'It's a crime scene, you can't come out,'" said the woman, who declined to give her name. Police said the man was acting alone.

Woman injured in knife attack in Sydney's Central Business District

The police in Australia apprehended a man who allegedly stabbed multiple people near York Street in Sydney, local media reported on Tuesday.

An eyewitness Megan Hayley said a man with a large kitchen knife chased several people through a busy office district and "five or six others were chasing him behind, trying to stop him, they caught him and restrained him" with chairs and a plastic crate, news agency AFP reported.

Images broadcast by Australian media showed the man jumping on the roof of a car brandishing a knife shouting "Allahu Akbar" and "shoot me", the news agency further said.

Watch: How Sydney attacker was restrained by locals with milk crates and chairs

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The police had earlier informed people on Twitter about an ongoing area in Sydney's Central Business District (CBD).

"Police operation King &amp; Clarence St, Sydney CBD. Please avoid the area. More to come..." said NSW Police Force on Twitter.

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Police operation King &amp; Clarence St, Sydney CBD. Please avoid the area. More to come...
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The CBD is closed with authorities urging people to avoid going there.

"SYDNEY CBD: King St is closed between York &amp; Clarence Sts due to a police operation. Traffic is extremely heavy, so all motorists should avoid the area. Clarence St is also closed northbound btwn Market St and King St," Live Traffic Sydney said on Twitter.

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SYDNEY CBD: King St is closed between York &amp; Clarence Sts due to a police operation. Traffic is extremely heavy, so all motorists should avoid the area. Clarence St is also closed northbound btwn Market St and King St.
— Live Traffic Sydney (@LiveTrafficSyd) <a href="https://twitter.com/LiveTrafficSyd/status/1161139002667425792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"We have a female person with a stab wound to the back currently being treated by paramedics and is en route to a Sydney hospital," Police Superintendent Gavin Wood told reporters in Sydney.

He said the woman's injuries were not life-threatening.

The police in Australia apprehended a man who allegedly stabbed multiple people near York Street in Sydney, local media reported on Tuesday. An eyewitness Megan Hayley said a man with a large kitchen knife chased several people through a busy office district and "five or six others were chasing him behind, trying to stop him, they caught him and restrained him" with chairs and a plastic crate, news agency AFP reported. Images broadcast by Australian media showed the man jumping on the roof of a car brandishing a knife shouting "Allahu Akbar" and "shoot me", the news agency further said. Watch: How Sydney attacker was restrained by locals with milk crates and chairs × The police had earlier informed people on Twitter about an ongoing area in Sydney's Central Business District (CBD). "Police operation King & Clarence St, Sydney CBD. Please avoid the area. More to come..." said NSW Police Force on Twitter. Police operation King & Clarence St, Sydney CBD. Please avoid the area. More to come... — NSW Police Force (@nswpolice) August 13, 2019 × The CBD is closed with authorities urging people to avoid going there. "SYDNEY CBD: King St is closed between York & Clarence Sts due to a police operation. Traffic is extremely heavy, so all motorists should avoid the area. Clarence St is also closed northbound btwn Market St and King St," Live Traffic Sydney said on Twitter. SYDNEY CBD: King St is closed between York & Clarence Sts due to a police operation. Traffic is extremely heavy, so all motorists should avoid the area. Clarence St is also closed northbound btwn Market St and King St. — Live Traffic Sydney (@LiveTrafficSyd) August 13, 2019 × "We have a female person with a stab wound to the back currently being treated by paramedics and is en route to a Sydney hospital," Police Superintendent Gavin Wood told reporters in Sydney. He said the woman's injuries were not life-threatening.

Sydney's Central Business District sealed after alleged knife attack

A man who <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sydneys-central-business-district-sealed-after-alleged-knife-attack-242601">went on a stabbing spree</a> in downtown Sydney, in what appeared to be an unprovoked attack, was taken into custody, thanks to the alertness and bravery of the locals.

"Members of the public actually physically restrained the offender. And I must acknowledge that those people who got involved were brave. These people are heroes," New South Wales Police chief Gavid Wood said.

A woman, who was injured in the attack, was taken to hospital. "We have a female person with a stab wound to the back currently being treated by paramedics and is en route to a Sydney hospital,"&nbsp;Wood further said.

Watch: How Sydney attacker was restrained by locals with milk crates and chairs

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He said the woman's injuries were not life-threatening.

Video footage on Twitter showed a young man running across a city intersection and jumping onto the hood of a car, waving what appeared to be a knife covered in blood and shouting "Allahu Akbar" and "shoot me". The man fell to the ground when the car moved and was confronted by a person holding a chair, the video further showed.

Australian media reported that the man was pinned to the ground by some people who were present there. "We saw the person with a knife over there bleeding," a woman present at the Subway store near the scene told news agency Reuters.

A video that emerged from the scene showed the man was restrained with the help of chairs and milk crates.

"The cops are here and they blocked the road right now, so we can't go outside. They said: 'It's a crime scene, you can't come out'," a woman, who declined to give her name, told Reuters.

Police said the man was acting alone.

(With inputs from agencies)

A man who went on a stabbing spree in downtown Sydney, in what appeared to be an unprovoked attack, was taken into custody, thanks to the alertness and bravery of the locals.

A man who went on a stabbing spree in downtown Sydney, in what appeared to be an unprovoked attack, was taken into custody, thanks to the alertness and bravery of the locals. "Members of the public actually physically restrained the offender. And I must acknowledge that those people who got involved were brave. These people are heroes," New South Wales Police chief Gavid Wood said. A woman, who was injured in the attack, was taken to hospital. "We have a female person with a stab wound to the back currently being treated by paramedics and is en route to a Sydney hospital," Wood further said. Watch: How Sydney attacker was restrained by locals with milk crates and chairs × He said the woman's injuries were not life-threatening. Video footage on Twitter showed a young man running across a city intersection and jumping onto the hood of a car, waving what appeared to be a knife covered in blood and shouting "Allahu Akbar" and "shoot me". The man fell to the ground when the car moved and was confronted by a person holding a chair, the video further showed. Australian media reported that the man was pinned to the ground by some people who were present there. "We saw the person with a knife over there bleeding," a woman present at the Subway store near the scene told news agency Reuters. A video that emerged from the scene showed the man was restrained with the help of chairs and milk crates. "The cops are here and they blocked the road right now, so we can't go outside. They said: 'It's a crime scene, you can't come out'," a woman, who declined to give her name, told Reuters. Police said the man was acting alone. (With inputs from agencies)

Man accused of Sydney knife attack restrained by 'brave' bystanders

Australian universities are being investigated over their contracts with Chinese-state run Confucius Institutes, officials said Thursday, amid fresh revelations over the scope of Beijing's control of teaching in the centres.

Attorney-General Christian Porter said the government was looking at whether deals between thirteen Australian universities and the Confucius Institutes breach new foreign interference laws.

The organisation - which has been likened to France's Alliance Francaise, Spain's Instituto Cervantes and the British Council - teaches students about Chinese language and culture.

However, critics say the classes ofter a selective view of Chinese life - purposely avoiding sensitive topics such as the Tiananmen Square crackdown or Tibet.

A 2018 study by German academic Falk Hartig found that 50 Confucius Institutes in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas had a "clear agenda to present an apolitical version of China".

Australia's government has pressed universities to register the institutes - run by China's ministry of education - under new laws to track foreign actors seeking to influence Australian politics and governance.

Porter said his office has been "undertaking inquiries with a number of universities over recent months to ascertain whether certain arrangements should be registered" and meeting Confucius Institutes' representatives.&nbsp;

"I have now asked my department to specifically examine the arrangements between all Confucius Institutes and universities in order to ensure compliance with the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme."

- Careful attention - 
In a statement Thursday, Universities Australia said they were "giving careful attention" to the rules, introduced last year.

So far none of the institutes features on the foreign influence registry, which is public.

"Our nation's universities are looking carefully at their agreements with foreign entities to ensure they comply with the new laws," said Chief Executive Catriona Jackson.&nbsp;

Her comments came as the Sydney Morning Herald published 11 of the 13 contracts between Confucius Institutes and Australian universities.

Four contracts featured clauses that gave the Chinese institutes final say on "teaching quality" and stated activities must respect "cultural custom". &nbsp;

In return, the universities received minimum funding of Aus$100,000-$150,000 upfront and 3,000 Chinese books and other materials.

The four schools are the University of Queensland, La Trobe University, Griffith University and Charles Darwin University.

In separate statements, the universities stressed the institutes' classes were not part of degree programmes and were conceived as a service to the local community.

The University of Queensland said it was in the process of renegotiating the contract, with legal obligations "front of mind."

Griffith University indicated this contract -&nbsp;like others -&nbsp;would be reviewed "when they are considered for renewal."

The deals have helped boost educational ties between China and Australia. An estimated 190,000 Chinese students study at Australian universities, bringing in much-needed revenue.

But the links have also created tensions as the two very different political cultures meet.

On Wednesday there was a violent standoff between pro-Hong Kong democracy protestors and a group of students backing Beijing at the University of Queensland.

The university was recently put in the spotlight for making the Chinese consul-general in Brisbane a guest professor at the school of languages and culture.

&nbsp;

Australian universities are being investigated over their contracts with Chinese-state run Confucius Institutes, officials said Thursday, amid fresh revelations over the scope of Beijing's control of teaching in the centres.

Australian universities are being investigated over their contracts with Chinese-state run Confucius Institutes, officials said Thursday, amid fresh revelations over the scope of Beijing's control of teaching in the centres. Attorney-General Christian Porter said the government was looking at whether deals between thirteen Australian universities and the Confucius Institutes breach new foreign interference laws. The organisation - which has been likened to France's Alliance Francaise, Spain's Instituto Cervantes and the British Council - teaches students about Chinese language and culture. However, critics say the classes ofter a selective view of Chinese life - purposely avoiding sensitive topics such as the Tiananmen Square crackdown or Tibet. A 2018 study by German academic Falk Hartig found that 50 Confucius Institutes in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas had a "clear agenda to present an apolitical version of China". Australia's government has pressed universities to register the institutes - run by China's ministry of education - under new laws to track foreign actors seeking to influence Australian politics and governance. Porter said his office has been "undertaking inquiries with a number of universities over recent months to ascertain whether certain arrangements should be registered" and meeting Confucius Institutes' representatives. "I have now asked my department to specifically examine the arrangements between all Confucius Institutes and universities in order to ensure compliance with the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme." - Careful attention - In a statement Thursday, Universities Australia said they were "giving careful attention" to the rules, introduced last year. So far none of the institutes features on the foreign influence registry, which is public. "Our nation's universities are looking carefully at their agreements with foreign entities to ensure they comply with the new laws," said Chief Executive Catriona Jackson. Her comments came as the Sydney Morning Herald published 11 of the 13 contracts between Confucius Institutes and Australian universities. Four contracts featured clauses that gave the Chinese institutes final say on "teaching quality" and stated activities must respect "cultural custom". In return, the universities received minimum funding of Aus$100,000-$150,000 upfront and 3,000 Chinese books and other materials. The four schools are the University of Queensland, La Trobe University, Griffith University and Charles Darwin University. In separate statements, the universities stressed the institutes' classes were not part of degree programmes and were conceived as a service to the local community. The University of Queensland said it was in the process of renegotiating the contract, with legal obligations "front of mind." Griffith University indicated this contract - like others - would be reviewed "when they are considered for renewal." The deals have helped boost educational ties between China and Australia. An estimated 190,000 Chinese students study at Australian universities, bringing in much-needed revenue. But the links have also created tensions as the two very different political cultures meet. On Wednesday there was a violent standoff between pro-Hong Kong democracy protestors and a group of students backing Beijing at the University of Queensland. The university was recently put in the spotlight for making the Chinese consul-general in Brisbane a guest professor at the school of languages and culture.

Australian universities face probe over China deals

Australia said it would establish the world's first dedicated office to police <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-to-create-privacy-panel-pay-5-billion-to-us-to-settle-data-breach-allegations-238141&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj36anBpdLjAhXJrY8KHYA-CLwQFjAHegQIAxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1s3tXY3k3_9nycsyvVh1Tr">Facebook Inc</a> and <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/big-tech-faces-broad-us-justice-department-antitrust-probe-238042&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj36anBpdLjAhXJrY8KHYA-CLwQFjAGegQIBRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1uT8BUjqeLr30Z5u6gK1Kq">Google</a>&nbsp;as part of reforms designed to rein in the US technology giants, potentially setting a precedent for global lawmakers.

The move tightens the regulatory screws on the online platforms, which have governments from the United States to Europe scrambling to address concerns ranging from anti-trust issues to the spread of "fake news" and hate speech.

Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the $5 billion fine slapped on Facebook in the United States this month for privacy breaches showed regulators were now taking such issues extremely seriously.

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-facebook-fined-but-does-it-make-a-dent-238501/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"These companies are among the most powerful and valuable in the world," Frydenberg told reporters in Sydney after the release of a much-anticipated report on future regulation of the dominant digital platforms.

"They need to be held to account and their activities need to be more transparent."

Canberra would form a special branch of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the antitrust watchdog, to scrutinise how the companies used algorithms to match advertisements with viewers, giving them a stronghold on the main income generator of media operators.

The new office was one of 23 recommendations in the ACCC's report, including strengthening privacy laws, protections for the news media and a code of conduct requiring regulatory approval to govern how internet giants profit from users' content.

Frydenberg said the government intended to "lift the veil" on the closely guarded algorithms the firms use to collect and monetise users' data, and accepted the ACCC's "overriding conclusion that there is a need for reform".

The proposals would be subject to a 12-week public consultation process before the government acts on the report, he added.

Google and Facebook have opposed tighter regulation while traditional media owners, including Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, have backed reform.

News Corp's local executive chairman, Michael Miller, welcomed the "strength of the language and the identification of the problems", and said the publisher would work with the government to ensure "real change".

Facebook and Google said they would engage with the government during the consultation process, but had no comment on the specific recommendations.

The firms have previously rejected the need for tighter regulation and said the ACCC had underestimated the level of competition for online advertising.

ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said the regulator had five investigations of the two companies underway, and "I believe more will follow".

He said he was shocked at the amount of personal data the firms collected, often without users' knowledge.

"There needs to be a lot more transparency and oversight of Google and Facebook and their operations and practices," he said.

Among other recommendations in the report, the ACCC said it wanted privacy law updated to give people the right to erase personal data stored online, aligning Australia with some elements of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation.

"We cannot leave these issues to be dealt with by commercial entities with substantial reach and market power. It's really up to government and regulators to get up to date and stay up to date in relation to all these issues," Sims said.

While the regulator did not recommend breaking up the tech giants, Sims also did not rule it out.

"If it turns out that ... divestiture is a better approach, then that can always be recommended down the track," he said.

Australia said it would establish the world's first dedicated office to police Facebook Inc and Google as part of reforms designed to rein in the US technology giants, potentially setting a precedent for global lawmakers.

Australia said it would establish the world's first dedicated office to police Facebook Inc and Google as part of reforms designed to rein in the US technology giants, potentially setting a precedent for global lawmakers. The move tightens the regulatory screws on the online platforms, which have governments from the United States to Europe scrambling to address concerns ranging from anti-trust issues to the spread of "fake news" and hate speech. Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the $5 billion fine slapped on Facebook in the United States this month for privacy breaches showed regulators were now taking such issues extremely seriously. Watch Video: "These companies are among the most powerful and valuable in the world," Frydenberg told reporters in Sydney after the release of a much-anticipated report on future regulation of the dominant digital platforms. "They need to be held to account and their activities need to be more transparent." Canberra would form a special branch of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the antitrust watchdog, to scrutinise how the companies used algorithms to match advertisements with viewers, giving them a stronghold on the main income generator of media operators. The new office was one of 23 recommendations in the ACCC's report, including strengthening privacy laws, protections for the news media and a code of conduct requiring regulatory approval to govern how internet giants profit from users' content. Frydenberg said the government intended to "lift the veil" on the closely guarded algorithms the firms use to collect and monetise users' data, and accepted the ACCC's "overriding conclusion that there is a need for reform". The proposals would be subject to a 12-week public consultation process before the government acts on the report, he added. Google and Facebook have opposed tighter regulation while traditional media owners, including Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, have backed reform. News Corp's local executive chairman, Michael Miller, welcomed the "strength of the language and the identification of the problems", and said the publisher would work with the government to ensure "real change". Facebook and Google said they would engage with the government during the consultation process, but had no comment on the specific recommendations. The firms have previously rejected the need for tighter regulation and said the ACCC had underestimated the level of competition for online advertising. ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said the regulator had five investigations of the two companies underway, and "I believe more will follow". He said he was shocked at the amount of personal data the firms collected, often without users' knowledge. "There needs to be a lot more transparency and oversight of Google and Facebook and their operations and practices," he said. Among other recommendations in the report, the ACCC said it wanted privacy law updated to give people the right to erase personal data stored online, aligning Australia with some elements of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation. "We cannot leave these issues to be dealt with by commercial entities with substantial reach and market power. It's really up to government and regulators to get up to date and stay up to date in relation to all these issues," Sims said. While the regulator did not recommend breaking up the tech giants, Sims also did not rule it out. "If it turns out that ... divestiture is a better approach, then that can always be recommended down the track," he said.

Now, Australia to 'lift veil' on Facebook, Google algorithms to protect privacy

35 People Injured As Air Canada Flight Is Hit By Turbulence. Air Canada Flight 33 flew into global headlines as turbulence forced the plane to make an emergency landing in Hawaii. The turbulence injured 35 people in the flight which was headed to Vancouver from Sydney. Here's the story.

Gravitas: Air Canada flight hit by turbulence

Researchers in Israel said Monday they have pinpointed the site of an ancient Philistine town mentioned in the biblical tale of David seeking refuge from the Israelite king Saul.

Ziklag was a town under the rule of a Philistine king in nearby Gath after the ancient "sea peoples" began arriving in the region in the 12th century BC, the researchers say.

A biblical tale says the town became the unlikely seat of David before his anointment as king in Hebron following Saul's death.

Ziklag's location has been the subject of scientific debate, with 12 possible locations named in southern Israel.

None of the sites, however, had the necessary evidence of consecutive Philistine and Israelite settlement to fit what is believed to be the historical narrative, the Israeli Antiquities Authority said in a statement.

Now researchers from the IAA, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-trump-team-prepares-mideast-plan-palestinians-face-financial-crisis-215034">Hebrew University</a> and Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, say they have found a Philistine-era settlement under a rural one from the historical era linked to the biblical King David.

Those findings have led them to believe it is Ziklag, the statement said.

The site, Khirbet al-Rai, is located near Kiryat Gat in Central Israel.

Researchers have excavated finds typical of the Philistine civilization as well as pottery vessels connecting it to the historical era identified with the biblical David, the statement said.

The Philistines are believed to have arrived in the region in the 12th century BC, with DNA tests on their bones recently suggesting their origin to be in southern Europe.

They ruled what is today part of central and southern Israel and the Gaza Strip and were a feared enemy of the Israelites.

In the biblical narrative, David sought refuge in Ziklag from Saul, who was trying to kill him.

David fled the boundaries of the Kingdom of Israel to the coastal area under the rule of the Philistines.

As relayed in the first book of Samuel, when Saul heard David was in the Philistine city of Gath, "he sought him no more."

David then requested -- and received -- the town of Ziklag, which remained property of Judean kings, the Bible says.

Researchers in Israel said Monday they have pinpointed the site of an ancient Philistine town mentioned in the biblical tale of David seeking refuge from the Israelite king Saul.

Researchers in Israel said Monday they have pinpointed the site of an ancient Philistine town mentioned in the biblical tale of David seeking refuge from the Israelite king Saul. Ziklag was a town under the rule of a Philistine king in nearby Gath after the ancient "sea peoples" began arriving in the region in the 12th century BC, the researchers say. A biblical tale says the town became the unlikely seat of David before his anointment as king in Hebron following Saul's death. Ziklag's location has been the subject of scientific debate, with 12 possible locations named in southern Israel. None of the sites, however, had the necessary evidence of consecutive Philistine and Israelite settlement to fit what is believed to be the historical narrative, the Israeli Antiquities Authority said in a statement. Now researchers from the IAA, Hebrew University and Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, say they have found a Philistine-era settlement under a rural one from the historical era linked to the biblical King David. Those findings have led them to believe it is Ziklag, the statement said. The site, Khirbet al-Rai, is located near Kiryat Gat in Central Israel. Researchers have excavated finds typical of the Philistine civilization as well as pottery vessels connecting it to the historical era identified with the biblical David, the statement said. The Philistines are believed to have arrived in the region in the 12th century BC, with DNA tests on their bones recently suggesting their origin to be in southern Europe. They ruled what is today part of central and southern Israel and the Gaza Strip and were a feared enemy of the Israelites. In the biblical narrative, David sought refuge in Ziklag from Saul, who was trying to kill him. David fled the boundaries of the Kingdom of Israel to the coastal area under the rule of the Philistines. As relayed in the first book of Samuel, when Saul heard David was in the Philistine city of Gath, "he sought him no more." David then requested -- and received -- the town of Ziklag, which remained property of Judean kings, the Bible says.

Researchers say ancient Philistine town located in Israel

Australian counter-terror police said they arrested three men in raids across Sydney on Tuesday, foiling a plot inspired by militant group Islamic State for attacks targeting a range of public buildings and embassies.

Australia, a staunch US ally, has been on heightened alert for attacks by home-grown radicals since 2014 and authorities say they have thwarted 16 major plots since.

Two of the arrested men, aged 20 and 23, are charged with being members of Islamic State, a crime under Australian laws, with the younger man accused of plotting the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-man-accused-of-helping-islamic-state-build-missile-tech-held-12884">Sydney attack</a>, which police said was in the early stages of planning.

"We will say that they had a number of targets, including police stations, defence establishments, embassies and councils, courts and churches," Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Ian McCartney told reporters in Sydney.

"There are still those people within the community who wish to do us harm," he said. "I want to say they don't represent the Islamic faith. Their actions are criminal and they represent hatred and terror."

Police made the arrests because they had compiled sufficient evidence for charges, McCarthy said, but offered few details.

A third man, aged 30, is charged with welfare fraud.

The police did not name those charged, who are expected to appear in court later in the day or on Wednesday.

The so-called Islamic State caliphate was established in 2014 and although it has been driven in the past year from all territory it once held in Syria and Iraq, authorities say it remains a threat, as an underground movement.

McCarthy said the man charged with plotting had been tracked by Australian authorities since mid-2018 when he drew their attention by travelling to Lebanon.

He now faces life imprisonment, if convicted. The others face sentences as long as 10 years.

Australian counter-terror police said they arrested three men in raids across Sydney on Tuesday, foiling a plot inspired by militant group Islamic State for attacks targeting a range of public buildings and embassies.

Australian counter-terror police said they arrested three men in raids across Sydney on Tuesday, foiling a plot inspired by militant group Islamic State for attacks targeting a range of public buildings and embassies. Australia, a staunch US ally, has been on heightened alert for attacks by home-grown radicals since 2014 and authorities say they have thwarted 16 major plots since. Two of the arrested men, aged 20 and 23, are charged with being members of Islamic State, a crime under Australian laws, with the younger man accused of plotting the Sydney attack, which police said was in the early stages of planning. "We will say that they had a number of targets, including police stations, defence establishments, embassies and councils, courts and churches," Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Ian McCartney told reporters in Sydney. "There are still those people within the community who wish to do us harm," he said. "I want to say they don't represent the Islamic faith. Their actions are criminal and they represent hatred and terror." Police made the arrests because they had compiled sufficient evidence for charges, McCarthy said, but offered few details. A third man, aged 30, is charged with welfare fraud. The police did not name those charged, who are expected to appear in court later in the day or on Wednesday. The so-called Islamic State caliphate was established in 2014 and although it has been driven in the past year from all territory it once held in Syria and Iraq, authorities say it remains a threat, as an underground movement. McCarthy said the man charged with plotting had been tracked by Australian authorities since mid-2018 when he drew their attention by travelling to Lebanon. He now faces life imprisonment, if convicted. The others face sentences as long as 10 years.

Australian counter-terror police say they foiled Sydney attack plot

The Facebook page of an Australian man missing in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/americas/north-koreas-missile-tests-not-breach-of-trust-us-president-donald-trump-217629">North Korea</a> reappeared then disappeared again on Saturday hours before Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia is still trying to find out what has happened to him.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australian-student-feared-detained-in-north-korea-230713">Alek Sigley</a>, one of only a handful of Western students in the secretive country, has been missing for several days.

His family had taken down his social media accounts to prevent unnecessary speculation online.

Sigley's Facebook page reappeared overnight, but it is not known who reinstated it, or why.

It had disappeared again on Saturday by 2 p.m. Sydney time (0400 GMT) and remained down on Sunday morning.

Sigley's Twitter account has remained online and members of the public have posted messages of support there.

The missing man's last posts on his Twitter and Facebook profiles are from Monday, June 24, and his family has not heard from him since Tuesday.

Speaking from the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, Prime Minister Morrison said he had spoken to Sigley's family and said Australia was still trying to find out what happened to him.

"I will just be measured in what I say because that is all about using the best opportunities we have right now too, to inform ourselves about where Alek is and what his safety is and where he is being held, in what conditions," he told reporters on Saturday evening.

Morrison said numerous world leaders had offered help to find Sigley and bring him home.

When asked if US President Donald Trump's visit to the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ) presented an opportunity for the Americans to make representations, Mr Morrison said he would not allow the issue to be taken up with other agendas.

"We're going to work with everybody to secure Alek's safety and the best way we can do that is doing it quietly, effectively, working with our partners," he said.

"This is, not allowing this to be taken up into other agendas, it’s not about that, it’s simple for me, about Alek's safety. Sorry."

The 29-year-old Australian moved to North Korea to study for a master's degree in Korean literature at Kim Il-sung University in Pyongyang, and also ran a small tour company specialising in educational trips to North Korea.

Sigley has been an unusually active social media user for someone living in North Korea, updating his social media accounts with photos and blog posts about benign subjects such as food and fashion.

The treatment of foreign citizens by the secretive North has long been a contentious issue.

American student Otto Warmbier died in 2017 after being detained in North Korea for stealing a propaganda poster from his hotel room.

The Facebook page of an Australian man missing in North Korea reappeared then disappeared again on Saturday hours before Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia is still trying to find out what has happened to him.

The Facebook page of an Australian man missing in North Korea reappeared then disappeared again on Saturday hours before Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia is still trying to find out what has happened to him. Alek Sigley, one of only a handful of Western students in the secretive country, has been missing for several days. His family had taken down his social media accounts to prevent unnecessary speculation online. Sigley's Facebook page reappeared overnight, but it is not known who reinstated it, or why. It had disappeared again on Saturday by 2 p.m. Sydney time (0400 GMT) and remained down on Sunday morning. Sigley's Twitter account has remained online and members of the public have posted messages of support there. The missing man's last posts on his Twitter and Facebook profiles are from Monday, June 24, and his family has not heard from him since Tuesday. Speaking from the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, Prime Minister Morrison said he had spoken to Sigley's family and said Australia was still trying to find out what happened to him. "I will just be measured in what I say because that is all about using the best opportunities we have right now too, to inform ourselves about where Alek is and what his safety is and where he is being held, in what conditions," he told reporters on Saturday evening. Morrison said numerous world leaders had offered help to find Sigley and bring him home. When asked if US President Donald Trump's visit to the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ) presented an opportunity for the Americans to make representations, Mr Morrison said he would not allow the issue to be taken up with other agendas. "We're going to work with everybody to secure Alek's safety and the best way we can do that is doing it quietly, effectively, working with our partners," he said. "This is, not allowing this to be taken up into other agendas, it’s not about that, it’s simple for me, about Alek's safety. Sorry." The 29-year-old Australian moved to North Korea to study for a master's degree in Korean literature at Kim Il-sung University in Pyongyang, and also ran a small tour company specialising in educational trips to North Korea. Sigley has been an unusually active social media user for someone living in North Korea, updating his social media accounts with photos and blog posts about benign subjects such as food and fashion. The treatment of foreign citizens by the secretive North has long been a contentious issue. American student Otto Warmbier died in 2017 after being detained in North Korea for stealing a propaganda poster from his hotel room.

Facebook page of Australian missing in North Korea mysteriously reappears

Air India has suspended its Regional Director for East, Rohit Bhasin, for allegedly shoplifting a wallet from a duty-free shop at Sydney airport, officials said Sunday.

Bhasin was rostered as one of the commanders (pilots) of AI301 flight, which was set to depart at 10.45 am (local time) on June 22 from Sydney airport for Delhi.

"There is an initial report of one of its captains Mr Rohit Bhasin who is also working as a regional director picking up a wallet from a duty-free shop in Sydney. Air India has instituted an enquiry into this incident and has placed the captain under suspension," a spokesperson of the airline said.

The suspension order issued by the airline on Saturday stated: "It has been reported by regional manager Australasia that you allegedly committed an act of shoplifting from a duty free shop at Sydney airport before the departure of flight AI301 of 22nd June 2019, from Sydney airport for which you were rostered as one of the Commander."

"Without prejudice to any disciplinary action to be initiated against you and pending enquiry, you are hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect," the order stated.

The spokesperson said, "Air India lays the highest stress on the proper conduct of its staff and has a zero-tolerance policy towards acts of impropriety."&nbsp;

Air India has suspended its Regional Director for East, Rohit Bhasin, for allegedly shoplifting a wallet from a duty-free shop at Sydney airport, officials said Sunday.

Air India has suspended its Regional Director for East, Rohit Bhasin, for allegedly shoplifting a wallet from a duty-free shop at Sydney airport, officials said Sunday. Bhasin was rostered as one of the commanders (pilots) of AI301 flight, which was set to depart at 10.45 am (local time) on June 22 from Sydney airport for Delhi. "There is an initial report of one of its captains Mr Rohit Bhasin who is also working as a regional director picking up a wallet from a duty-free shop in Sydney. Air India has instituted an enquiry into this incident and has placed the captain under suspension," a spokesperson of the airline said. The suspension order issued by the airline on Saturday stated: "It has been reported by regional manager Australasia that you allegedly committed an act of shoplifting from a duty free shop at Sydney airport before the departure of flight AI301 of 22nd June 2019, from Sydney airport for which you were rostered as one of the Commander." "Without prejudice to any disciplinary action to be initiated against you and pending enquiry, you are hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect," the order stated. The spokesperson said, "Air India lays the highest stress on the proper conduct of its staff and has a zero-tolerance policy towards acts of impropriety."

Air India suspends its regional director for allegedly shoplifting at Sydney airport

Heavy fog blanketed Sydney on Saturday morning, delaying flights, creating hazards for shipping and setting social media ablaze with moody photographs of disappearing landmarks.

Ships had to use their foghorns for safety as they navigated out of the busy Sydney Harbour waterway to the open ocean.

A small number of flights in and out of Sydney were delayed, rerouted or cancelled, with affected airlines including Qantas and Virgin Australia.

International airline passengers were delayed by half an hour while domestic passengers endured waits of up to two hours.

Qantas and Virgin told Reuters they had cancelled fewer than six flights each and by 12.20 pm services were back to normal.

Sydney`s most iconic structures, the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, gradually disappeared from sight, creating a spectacle for amateur photographers who posted their pictures on social media.

The fog lifted by midday and regular services resumed.

Heavy fog blanketed Sydney on Saturday morning, delaying flights, creating hazards for shipping and setting social media ablaze with moody photographs of disappearing landmarks.

Heavy fog blanketed Sydney on Saturday morning, delaying flights, creating hazards for shipping and setting social media ablaze with moody photographs of disappearing landmarks. Ships had to use their foghorns for safety as they navigated out of the busy Sydney Harbour waterway to the open ocean. A small number of flights in and out of Sydney were delayed, rerouted or cancelled, with affected airlines including Qantas and Virgin Australia. International airline passengers were delayed by half an hour while domestic passengers endured waits of up to two hours. Qantas and Virgin told Reuters they had cancelled fewer than six flights each and by 12.20 pm services were back to normal. Sydney`s most iconic structures, the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, gradually disappeared from sight, creating a spectacle for amateur photographers who posted their pictures on social media. The fog lifted by midday and regular services resumed.

Fog blankets Sydney, causes flight delays

Sydney on Tuesday announced its first major water restrictions in a decade, putting limits on homes and businesses amid a record-breaking drought.

The New South Wales government said the greater Sydney region water catchments were experiencing some of the lowest flows since the 1940s, and that the restrictions would be enforced from next week.

"Regional NSW has been experiencing a record drought," the southeastern state's minister for water Melinda Pavey said in a statement.

"Water restrictions in Sydney mean that households across NSW are doing their bit to conserve water.

People in Sydney can be fined up to Aus$220 (US$150) or businesses up to Aus$550 for leaving a hose running or using a sprinkler system to water their gardens.

Australia sweated through its hottest-ever summer from last December to February.

The country's water management was a hot-button issue in the recent election following mass fish kills in the Murray-Darling River system, which authorities blamed on low water flow and oxygen levels.

Scientists said the severe drought plaguing inland eastern Australia had contributed to the deaths.

Australia is no stranger to extreme weather patterns, with bushfires, floods and drought often occurring during the summer months.

Sydney last had water restrictions in place in 2009, when all major cities imposed usage caps amid a severe drought, which had lasted for more than a decade in some parts of the country.

Sydney on Tuesday announced its first major water restrictions in a decade, putting limits on homes and businesses amid a record-breaking drought. The New South Wales government said the greater Sydney region water catchments were experiencing some of the lowest flows since the 1940s, and that the restrictions would be enforced from next week.

Sydney on Tuesday announced its first major water restrictions in a decade, putting limits on homes and businesses amid a record-breaking drought. The New South Wales government said the greater Sydney region water catchments were experiencing some of the lowest flows since the 1940s, and that the restrictions would be enforced from next week. "Regional NSW has been experiencing a record drought," the southeastern state's minister for water Melinda Pavey said in a statement. "Water restrictions in Sydney mean that households across NSW are doing their bit to conserve water. People in Sydney can be fined up to Aus$220 (US$150) or businesses up to Aus$550 for leaving a hose running or using a sprinkler system to water their gardens. Australia sweated through its hottest-ever summer from last December to February. The country's water management was a hot-button issue in the recent election following mass fish kills in the Murray-Darling River system, which authorities blamed on low water flow and oxygen levels. Scientists said the severe drought plaguing inland eastern Australia had contributed to the deaths. Australia is no stranger to extreme weather patterns, with bushfires, floods and drought often occurring during the summer months. Sydney last had water restrictions in place in 2009, when all major cities imposed usage caps amid a severe drought, which had lasted for more than a decade in some parts of the country.

Sydney imposes first water restrictions in decade

This segment offers you global round-up of top stories of 14 May 2019.

Global Round-up: Watch major global headlines of the day

Powerful all-rounder Shane Watson retired from Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash League Friday, but will continue playing select overseas tournaments.

The 37-year-old, who quit international cricket in 2016, stood down as Sydney Thunder's captain and all-time top run-scorer to spend more time with his family.

"I have so many amazing memories that I will savour forever with the one standout being our (tournament) win in 2016," he said.

"To my teammates, I have played with so many great people and cricketers at the club and I sincerely wish everyone the absolute best for the upcoming seasons."

Despite his age, Watson remains a force to be reckoned with.&nbsp;

He smacked a century from just 62 balls for the Thunder against the Brisbane Heat last season and hit 96 off 53 balls for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League this week.

Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts congratulated him on a "dynamic career".

"Shane Watson was one of the most exciting short-form players ever to grace a cricket field," he said.

"In a career which spanned almost two decades Shane made a major contribution to Australian cricket firstly at international level and then in domestic cricket as a significant contributor to the Big Bash.

"Talented, skillful and powerful, Shane was a devastating batsman at his best."

Watson played more than 700 international and domestic matches in total, scoring over 25,000 runs and claiming in excess of 600 wickets.

He is the only Sydney Thunder batsman to score more than a 1,000 runs and head coach Shane Bond called him "the ultimate professional".&nbsp;

"He cared about the team and the players and was hugely respected in the dressing room. We're really going to miss what he brings to the team and he will be a big loss." he said.

Powerful all-rounder Shane Watson retired from Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash League Friday, but will continue playing select overseas tournaments. The 37-year-old, who quit international cricket in 2016, stood down as Sydney Thunder's captain and all-time top run-scorer to spend more time with his family.

Powerful all-rounder Shane Watson retired from Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash League Friday, but will continue playing select overseas tournaments. The 37-year-old, who quit international cricket in 2016, stood down as Sydney Thunder's captain and all-time top run-scorer to spend more time with his family. "I have so many amazing memories that I will savour forever with the one standout being our (tournament) win in 2016," he said. "To my teammates, I have played with so many great people and cricketers at the club and I sincerely wish everyone the absolute best for the upcoming seasons." Despite his age, Watson remains a force to be reckoned with. He smacked a century from just 62 balls for the Thunder against the Brisbane Heat last season and hit 96 off 53 balls for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League this week. Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts congratulated him on a "dynamic career". "Shane Watson was one of the most exciting short-form players ever to grace a cricket field," he said. "In a career which spanned almost two decades Shane made a major contribution to Australian cricket firstly at international level and then in domestic cricket as a significant contributor to the Big Bash. "Talented, skillful and powerful, Shane was a devastating batsman at his best." Watson played more than 700 international and domestic matches in total, scoring over 25,000 runs and claiming in excess of 600 wickets. He is the only Sydney Thunder batsman to score more than a 1,000 runs and head coach Shane Bond called him "the ultimate professional". "He cared about the team and the players and was hugely respected in the dressing room. We're really going to miss what he brings to the team and he will be a big loss." he said.

All-rounder Shane Watson retires from Australian cricket

Australia's favourite racehorse Winx delivered another dominant performance in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday (April 13) to win her 33rd successive race and head into retirement with a world record 25 Group One victories.

Winx, Australia's favourite horse, ends fairytale career winning final race

Indian-origin dentist found dead In Sydney

Mobs of stick-wielding church-goers in Myanmar's northeast used to descend on dealers and addicts in a desperate effort to save their communities from a meth-induced health crisis sweeping the country.

But anonymous death threats brought the vigilante operations to a halt.

"It simply became too dangerous for us," says Zau Man, leader of the local Baptist church in Kutkai, a town in Shan State scarred by addiction.

Myanmar is the second-biggest producer of opium in the world after Afghanistan and is now believed to be the largest source of methamphetamine.

The multi-billion dollar industry outstrips rivals in Latin America to feed lucrative markets as far away as Sydney, Tokyo and Seoul.

Shan is the epicentre of production in Myanmar, with a network of local armed groups linking up with transnational trafficking gangs.

Kutkai sits between Mandalay and the militia-riddled town of Muse on the China border, a key entry point for precursor chemicals heading to Myanmar's illegal meth labs.

Trucks carrying illicit goods roar through the town in both directions, past a Chinese temple and streetside restaurants with signs in Mandarin.

Heroin and meth use here are rampant. Zau Man says nearly every household has at least one drug user, dealers work out in the open and often violent meth addicts have turned parts of Kutkai into no-go zones.

"In some areas, you can only get food until 10 pm, but you can get drugs 24/7," he says.

'Smart and ruthless'&nbsp; 
Myanmar is facing a "public health disaster" because of meth and few villages in the country are left unscathed, Jeremy Douglas, a regional representative of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, tells AFP.

But the crisis is at its most acute in the poppy-covered hills of Shan State, where a landscape overrun with armed rebel groups, militias and security forces is an ideal breeding ground for meth labs.

Accurate figures of production of high-quality crystal meth, or "ice", and low-grade meth, known in Southeast Asia as "yaba", are unavailable.

In January 2018, Kutkai police seized 30 million yaba pills, 1,750kg of crystal meth and 500kg of heroin with a domestic value of some $54 million in the country's largest-ever drug bust.

But huge raids leave street prices unaltered, suggesting they are only a small slice of production, according to the International Crisis Group, which says the business now "dwarfs" Shan's formal economy.

Crystal meth is smuggled via sophisticated trafficking networks to more developed markets like Australia, where it can fetch a wholesale value of more than $180 million per tonne.

Yaba is distributed to Myanmar's neighbours, particularly Thailand and Bangladesh.

But the pink pills are increasingly being dumped at rock-bottom prices on a domestic market in what Douglas called a "smart and ruthless" strategy to build demand.

"It's a nasty business and they're really pushing it out into the population," he says.

Users and health workers in three different towns in Shan state -- Lashio, Kutkai and Muse -- told AFP pills go for just 500 kyat for three, or around 10 cents each.&nbsp;

As the price falls, so does the user age, with reports of children as young as nine taking yaba.

Many miners, long-distance drivers and shift workers mix narcotics -- smoking meth to keep them awake, and injecting heroin to bring them down.

Ashamed to go home&nbsp; 
Arr San, a gaunt 27-year-old with matted hair, rummages round his roadside shack in Muse and pulls out a bong crafted from a plastic bottle he uses to smoke yaba.&nbsp;

He has been hooked since he was 18 and now consumes around five pills a day.&nbsp;

For Arr San, like many others in the region, there are few opportunities to avoid the cycle of poverty and violence -- two years ago he fled his home in a nearby town for fear of being forced into an ethnic armed group.

Narcotics can provide an escape from the often grim reality of life in Shan.

"I take drugs because I get depressed and they help stabilise my mind," he says.

Arr San is one of 300 heading daily to the local hospital for methadone, a powerful opioid used to wean people off heroin.

But the problem is not limited to the poor.

Among Myanmar's urban elite, addiction to high grade crystal meth is already taking root.

Usually in powder or crystal form, "ice" is commonly snorted or smoked. It can also be injected, which increases the threat of disease transmission through needle-sharing.

A UNODC-backed policy launched in February 2018 champions depenalising users and treating drugs as a health issue while tackling the trade's kingpins.

But the law has yet to catch up —- anyone caught with even one yaba pill still faces a minimum of five years behind bars.

It is estimated that around half of Myanmar’s prison inmates are jailed for minor drug offences and arrests of drug users are rising.

A lack of funding for prevention work and treatment means Myanmar’s meth problem may only get worse.

Arr says: "I want to go back home and see my mother’s face, but I just can’t."

He added: "I don’t want to trouble her as I’m so sick."

Mobs of stick-wielding church-goers in Myanmar's northeast used to descend on dealers and addicts in a desperate effort to save their communities from a meth-induced health crisis sweeping the country.

Mobs of stick-wielding church-goers in Myanmar's northeast used to descend on dealers and addicts in a desperate effort to save their communities from a meth-induced health crisis sweeping the country. But anonymous death threats brought the vigilante operations to a halt. "It simply became too dangerous for us," says Zau Man, leader of the local Baptist church in Kutkai, a town in Shan State scarred by addiction. Myanmar is the second-biggest producer of opium in the world after Afghanistan and is now believed to be the largest source of methamphetamine. The multi-billion dollar industry outstrips rivals in Latin America to feed lucrative markets as far away as Sydney, Tokyo and Seoul. Shan is the epicentre of production in Myanmar, with a network of local armed groups linking up with transnational trafficking gangs. Kutkai sits between Mandalay and the militia-riddled town of Muse on the China border, a key entry point for precursor chemicals heading to Myanmar's illegal meth labs. Trucks carrying illicit goods roar through the town in both directions, past a Chinese temple and streetside restaurants with signs in Mandarin. Heroin and meth use here are rampant. Zau Man says nearly every household has at least one drug user, dealers work out in the open and often violent meth addicts have turned parts of Kutkai into no-go zones. "In some areas, you can only get food until 10 pm, but you can get drugs 24/7," he says. 'Smart and ruthless' Myanmar is facing a "public health disaster" because of meth and few villages in the country are left unscathed, Jeremy Douglas, a regional representative of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, tells AFP. But the crisis is at its most acute in the poppy-covered hills of Shan State, where a landscape overrun with armed rebel groups, militias and security forces is an ideal breeding ground for meth labs. Accurate figures of production of high-quality crystal meth, or "ice", and low-grade meth, known in Southeast Asia as "yaba", are unavailable. In January 2018, Kutkai police seized 30 million yaba pills, 1,750kg of crystal meth and 500kg of heroin with a domestic value of some $54 million in the country's largest-ever drug bust. But huge raids leave street prices unaltered, suggesting they are only a small slice of production, according to the International Crisis Group, which says the business now "dwarfs" Shan's formal economy. Crystal meth is smuggled via sophisticated trafficking networks to more developed markets like Australia, where it can fetch a wholesale value of more than $180 million per tonne. Yaba is distributed to Myanmar's neighbours, particularly Thailand and Bangladesh. But the pink pills are increasingly being dumped at rock-bottom prices on a domestic market in what Douglas called a "smart and ruthless" strategy to build demand. "It's a nasty business and they're really pushing it out into the population," he says. Users and health workers in three different towns in Shan state -- Lashio, Kutkai and Muse -- told AFP pills go for just 500 kyat for three, or around 10 cents each. As the price falls, so does the user age, with reports of children as young as nine taking yaba. Many miners, long-distance drivers and shift workers mix narcotics -- smoking meth to keep them awake, and injecting heroin to bring them down. Ashamed to go home Arr San, a gaunt 27-year-old with matted hair, rummages round his roadside shack in Muse and pulls out a bong crafted from a plastic bottle he uses to smoke yaba. He has been hooked since he was 18 and now consumes around five pills a day. For Arr San, like many others in the region, there are few opportunities to avoid the cycle of poverty and violence -- two years ago he fled his home in a nearby town for fear of being forced into an ethnic armed group. Narcotics can provide an escape from the often grim reality of life in Shan. "I take drugs because I get depressed and they help stabilise my mind," he says. Arr San is one of 300 heading daily to the local hospital for methadone, a powerful opioid used to wean people off heroin. But the problem is not limited to the poor. Among Myanmar's urban elite, addiction to high grade crystal meth is already taking root. Usually in powder or crystal form, "ice" is commonly snorted or smoked. It can also be injected, which increases the threat of disease transmission through needle-sharing. A UNODC-backed policy launched in February 2018 champions depenalising users and treating drugs as a health issue while tackling the trade's kingpins. But the law has yet to catch up —- anyone caught with even one yaba pill still faces a minimum of five years behind bars. It is estimated that around half of Myanmar’s prison inmates are jailed for minor drug offences and arrests of drug users are rising. A lack of funding for prevention work and treatment means Myanmar’s meth problem may only get worse. Arr says: "I want to go back home and see my mother’s face, but I just can’t." He added: "I don’t want to trouble her as I’m so sick."

Ruthless meth networks get ill-prepared Myanmar hooked

Thousands of Sydney homes were without power Saturday after severe storms hit Australia's largest city, causing transport hold-ups, inundating vehicles with floodwater and delaying a national football match.

Heavy rains and lightning storms lashed parts of Sydney late Friday, with close to 60 millimetres (nearly two and a half inches) of rain falling in some areas.

In Sydney's west, which experienced some flash flooding, one suburb saw nearly 42 millimetres fall in a short downpour lasting just 30 minutes.&nbsp;

"It was a slow-moving storm with that warm humid air moving along the coast... that allowed for that increase of moisture," Byron Doyle from the New South Wales Bureau of Meteorology told AFP.

Images of cars submerged in floodwaters on main roads, broken traffic lights, and fallen trees circulated on social media.

Energy companies reported that more than 40,000 customers were affected by power outages at the peak of the storm overnight, with more than 5,000 still without power early Saturday.

Emergency services fielded over 1,000 requests for assistance, including nine flood rescues in the Sydney area.

The rescues were "all for vehicles in flood water," a New South Wales state emergency services spokesperson told AFP.&nbsp;

Flights were delayed at Sydney's airport, while the storm caused havoc on some of the city's train lines.

The start of a national Australian rules football women's match was delayed twice, pushed back 45 minutes as heavy rain and lightning pummelled the oval.

Several light towers then went out mid-match during the live television broadcast, temporarily stopping the game during a reported blackout.

The Sydney storm comes as recovery efforts continue in Australia's flood-ravaged northeastern state of Queensland, which over the past week has seen record-breaking rainfall, forcing hundreds of evacuations and thousands of requests for help.

Extreme heatwaves during the southern hemisphere summer have also led to temperature records being broken in some towns.

Eastern inland areas have been experiencing a severe drought, while firefighters in the country's southern states have been recently battling bushfires.

High temperatures are not unusual in the Australian summer, but climate change has pushed up land and sea temperatures and led to more extremely hot days and severe fire seasons, scientists say.

Thousands of Sydney homes were without power Saturday after severe storms hit Australia's largest city, causing transport hold-ups, inundating vehicles with floodwater and delaying a national football match.

Thousands of Sydney homes were without power Saturday after severe storms hit Australia's largest city, causing transport hold-ups, inundating vehicles with floodwater and delaying a national football match. Heavy rains and lightning storms lashed parts of Sydney late Friday, with close to 60 millimetres (nearly two and a half inches) of rain falling in some areas. In Sydney's west, which experienced some flash flooding, one suburb saw nearly 42 millimetres fall in a short downpour lasting just 30 minutes. "It was a slow-moving storm with that warm humid air moving along the coast... that allowed for that increase of moisture," Byron Doyle from the New South Wales Bureau of Meteorology told AFP. Images of cars submerged in floodwaters on main roads, broken traffic lights, and fallen trees circulated on social media. Energy companies reported that more than 40,000 customers were affected by power outages at the peak of the storm overnight, with more than 5,000 still without power early Saturday. Emergency services fielded over 1,000 requests for assistance, including nine flood rescues in the Sydney area. The rescues were "all for vehicles in flood water," a New South Wales state emergency services spokesperson told AFP. Flights were delayed at Sydney's airport, while the storm caused havoc on some of the city's train lines. The start of a national Australian rules football women's match was delayed twice, pushed back 45 minutes as heavy rain and lightning pummelled the oval. Several light towers then went out mid-match during the live television broadcast, temporarily stopping the game during a reported blackout. The Sydney storm comes as recovery efforts continue in Australia's flood-ravaged northeastern state of Queensland, which over the past week has seen record-breaking rainfall, forcing hundreds of evacuations and thousands of requests for help. Extreme heatwaves during the southern hemisphere summer have also led to temperature records being broken in some towns. Eastern inland areas have been experiencing a severe drought, while firefighters in the country's southern states have been recently battling bushfires. High temperatures are not unusual in the Australian summer, but climate change has pushed up land and sea temperatures and led to more extremely hot days and severe fire seasons, scientists say.

Thousands without power as storm lashes Sydney

Several thousand people marched through major Australia cities on Sunday calling for safety for women after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/horrific-attack-israeli-student-murdered-in-australia-while-on-phone-with-sister-190997">an Israeli exchange student was murdered</a> in Melbourne.

The marches, part of the Women's March rallies held around the world in support of women's rights, gathered some 3,000 people in Sydney, who in their chants demanded safe streets for women in Australian cities.

Aiia Maasarwe, 21, was killed when walking home after a night out with friends in Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city, earlier this week. A 20-year-old man was charged with her murder.

Maasarwe's death recharged outrage over violence against women after 22-year-old Eurydice Dixon was killed in Melbourne while walking home after performing at a comedy show in June.

Thousands of people gathered at vigils for Maasarwe on Friday and continued to lay flowers at the site of her death. A special tram carrying only flowers late on Friday followed the route of Maasarwe's final journey.

In Sydney on Sunday marchers held signs paying tribute to Maasarwe and other victims of violence. Television news showed women carrying signs: "For Aiia and for those who suffer silently" and "I wanna walk through the park in the dark".

"I don't want my daughter to grow up in a world where she's unsafe or she can't pursue the opportunities she wants and I march for my son because I don't want him to grow up in a world where toxic masculinity is acceptable," said Samantha Nolan-Smith, one of several hundred protesters in the Australian capital Canberra, reported Australian Broadcasting Corp.

In reaction to Maasarwe's death, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his government would announce another "action plan" to stem violence against women ahead of an election expected by May, on top of A$350 million ($252 million) that has already been committed.

Aiia Maasarwe, 21, was killed when walking home after a night out with friends in Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city, earlier this week.

Several thousand people marched through major Australia cities on Sunday calling for safety for women after an Israeli exchange student was murdered in Melbourne. The marches, part of the Women's March rallies held around the world in support of women's rights, gathered some 3,000 people in Sydney, who in their chants demanded safe streets for women in Australian cities. Aiia Maasarwe, 21, was killed when walking home after a night out with friends in Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city, earlier this week. A 20-year-old man was charged with her murder. Maasarwe's death recharged outrage over violence against women after 22-year-old Eurydice Dixon was killed in Melbourne while walking home after performing at a comedy show in June. Thousands of people gathered at vigils for Maasarwe on Friday and continued to lay flowers at the site of her death. A special tram carrying only flowers late on Friday followed the route of Maasarwe's final journey. In Sydney on Sunday marchers held signs paying tribute to Maasarwe and other victims of violence. Television news showed women carrying signs: "For Aiia and for those who suffer silently" and "I wanna walk through the park in the dark". "I don't want my daughter to grow up in a world where she's unsafe or she can't pursue the opportunities she wants and I march for my son because I don't want him to grow up in a world where toxic masculinity is acceptable," said Samantha Nolan-Smith, one of several hundred protesters in the Australian capital Canberra, reported Australian Broadcasting Corp. In reaction to Maasarwe's death, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his government would announce another "action plan" to stem violence against women ahead of an election expected by May, on top of A$350 million ($252 million) that has already been committed.

Australian rallies demand safe streets for women after Israeli student murder

Indian former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has become the fifth Indian batsman to score 10,000 runs in one-day cricket.&nbsp;

Dhoni achieved this feat while playing at Sydney Cricket Ground against Australian on Saturday in the first ODI of a three-match series.&nbsp;

The wicket-keeper batsman becomes the fifth to reach the milestone for his country.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
🙌 10,000 ODI RUNS FOR INDIA FOR MS DHONI 🙌 
 
The wicket-keeper batsman becomes the fifth to reach the milestone for his country. 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> LIVE 👇<a href="https://t.co/cJ0yJS6W8v">https://t.co/cJ0yJS6W8v</a> <a href="https://t.co/ezkRGRjCRI">pic.twitter.com/ezkRGRjCRI</a>
— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1083984376965165057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2019</a></blockquote>
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the wicket-keeper batsman had earlier accumulated a total of 10,173 runs in the 50-over format during a home series against West Indies in October 2018 however, the record also contained the 174 runs, which he smashed against the Africa XI, while representing the Asia XI in a three-match rubber in 2007. 
 
Earlier, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Virat Kohli had scored 10,000 ODI runs for India.&nbsp; 
 
Overall, Dhoni is the 12th player in the&nbsp;history of ODI cricket to reach the 10,000-run club.&nbsp;

Indian former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has become the fifth Indian batsman to score 10,000 runs in one-day cricket. Dhoni achieved this feat while playing at Sydney Cricket Ground against Australian on Saturday in the first ODI of a three-match series.

Indian former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has become the fifth Indian batsman to score 10,000 runs in one-day cricket. Dhoni achieved this feat while playing at Sydney Cricket Ground against Australian on Saturday in the first ODI of a three-match series. The wicket-keeper batsman becomes the fifth to reach the milestone for his country. 🙌 10,000 ODI RUNS FOR INDIA FOR MS DHONI 🙌 The wicket-keeper batsman becomes the fifth to reach the milestone for his country. 👏#AUSvIND LIVE 👇https://t.co/cJ0yJS6W8v pic.twitter.com/ezkRGRjCRI — ICC (@ICC) January 12, 2019 × the wicket-keeper batsman had earlier accumulated a total of 10,173 runs in the 50-over format during a home series against West Indies in October 2018 however, the record also contained the 174 runs, which he smashed against the Africa XI, while representing the Asia XI in a three-match rubber in 2007. Earlier, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Virat Kohli had scored 10,000 ODI runs for India. Overall, Dhoni is the 12th player in the history of ODI cricket to reach the 10,000-run club.

India vs Australia: MS Dhoni becomes 5th Indian batsman to score 10,000 ODI runs

Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya and K L Rahul were Friday suspended pending an inquiry into their <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-issues-showcause-notice-against-hardik-pandya-k-l-rahul-for-comments-on-women-in-tv-show-189173">comments on women</a> during a TV show, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) chairman Vinod Rai told PTI.&nbsp;

The cricketers, who have been in the eye of a storm following their sexist&nbsp;remarks on 'Koffee with Karan', will be returning from Australia where they were to compete in an ODI series starting Saturday.&nbsp;

The two had been omitted from the line-up for the opening match in Sydney.&nbsp;

"Both Pandya and Rahul have been suspended pending an inquiry," Rai said.&nbsp;

"Whether it will be an internal committee of the BCCI or an ad hoc ombudsman who will conduct an inquiry, is yet to be ascertained," the official said.&nbsp;

"The Indian team management will take a call on whether they would want to keep the two with the team or send them back. There is a school of thought that they be kept with the team as the backlash back home could be severe but majority in BCCI brass is against the decision," he added.&nbsp;

"It won't be surprising if two from Vijay Shankar, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey or Rishabh Pant are flown Down Under," the source said.&nbsp;

<a href="http://cms.wionews.com/sports/watch-virat-kohli-says-kl-rahul-hardik-pandya-comments-not-supported-by-teammates-189573">Watch: Virat Kohli says, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya comments not supported by teammates</a>

On Friday, Edulji called for suspension of the two players pending inquiry after the BCCI legal team refused to declare their outrage-evoking comments on women a violation of the code of conduct.&nbsp;

"It is imperative that players be put under suspension till further course of action is decided for this misconduct as was done in case of (BCCI) CEO (Rahul Johri) when he was sent on leave on sexual harassment matter," read Edulji's response to the legal opinion which is in possession of PTI.&nbsp;

In the pre-match media interaction, India captain Virat Kohli condemned the comments made by Pandya and Rahul, calling them "inappropriate".&nbsp;

"From the Indian cricket team point of view, any inappropriate comments that are made in that scenario are something that we definitely don't support...And that has been communicated (to the two players)," said Kohli.&nbsp;

"...We definitely don't align with those views and those are purely individual views. The two concerned players (have) felt what has gone wrong and they have understood the magnitude of what's happened."&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Hotstar has taken down the episode of "Koffee With Karan" featuring cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul after it got widespread criticism for "inappropriate" comments by Pandya.&nbsp;

"Certain remarks/comments made by the guests on the episode 12 of Koffee with Karan may hurt the sentiments of our users/viewers. As a responsible platform, we have removed the episode from Hotstar with immediate effect," Hotstar tweeted on Friday.&nbsp;

Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya and K L Rahul were Friday suspended pending an inquiry into their comments on women during a TV show, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) chairman Vinod Rai told PTI.

Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya and K L Rahul were Friday suspended pending an inquiry into their comments on women during a TV show, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) chairman Vinod Rai told PTI. The cricketers, who have been in the eye of a storm following their sexist remarks on 'Koffee with Karan', will be returning from Australia where they were to compete in an ODI series starting Saturday. The two had been omitted from the line-up for the opening match in Sydney. "Both Pandya and Rahul have been suspended pending an inquiry," Rai said. "Whether it will be an internal committee of the BCCI or an ad hoc ombudsman who will conduct an inquiry, is yet to be ascertained," the official said. "The Indian team management will take a call on whether they would want to keep the two with the team or send them back. There is a school of thought that they be kept with the team as the backlash back home could be severe but majority in BCCI brass is against the decision," he added. "It won't be surprising if two from Vijay Shankar, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey or Rishabh Pant are flown Down Under," the source said. Watch: Virat Kohli says, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya comments not supported by teammates On Friday, Edulji called for suspension of the two players pending inquiry after the BCCI legal team refused to declare their outrage-evoking comments on women a violation of the code of conduct. "It is imperative that players be put under suspension till further course of action is decided for this misconduct as was done in case of (BCCI) CEO (Rahul Johri) when he was sent on leave on sexual harassment matter," read Edulji's response to the legal opinion which is in possession of PTI. In the pre-match media interaction, India captain Virat Kohli condemned the comments made by Pandya and Rahul, calling them "inappropriate". "From the Indian cricket team point of view, any inappropriate comments that are made in that scenario are something that we definitely don't support...And that has been communicated (to the two players)," said Kohli. "...We definitely don't align with those views and those are purely individual views. The two concerned players (have) felt what has gone wrong and they have understood the magnitude of what's happened." Meanwhile, Hotstar has taken down the episode of "Koffee With Karan" featuring cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul after it got widespread criticism for "inappropriate" comments by Pandya. "Certain remarks/comments made by the guests on the episode 12 of Koffee with Karan may hurt the sentiments of our users/viewers. As a responsible platform, we have removed the episode from Hotstar with immediate effect," Hotstar tweeted on Friday.

Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul suspended pending inquiry

World number one Simona Halep crashed to a straight-sets defeat against unseeded Ashleigh Barty in the second round of the Sydney International on Wednesday.

Halep, playing in her first tournament since a back injury cut short her 2018 season in September, lost 6-4 6-4 in 87 minutes with the result dealing a blow to her Australian Open preparations.

Australian Barty, who is ranked 15th in the world, fired 26 winners and won four out of seven break points as she recorded her first victory over a reigning world number one.

"I finally learned my lesson," said Barty, who had suffered two straight-sets defeats by Halep last year.

"She gave me a belting in Montreal. I learnt a little bit more in Cincinnati, but today I knuckled down and really thought about it and really gave myself a chance.

"The biggest thing, I believed that I could I win. Just very happy I was able to come out and execute."

The 22-year-old Barty was rewarded with a quarter-final clash against Belgian Elise Mertens, who raced past Estonia's Anett Kontaveit 6-3 6-1.

Kazakh qualifier Yulia Putintseva came back from a set and a break down to beat fourth seed Sloane Stephens 3-6 7-6(4) 6-0 in a roller-coaster second round encounter.

It was Putintseva's sixth career top 10 victory, and second consecutive win over Stephens following an equally dramatic three-set triumph in Nuremberg last year.

Men's top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas eased past Argentine Guido Andreozzi 6-3 6-4 to earn his first Tour-level win over of the new season.

Greek youngster Tsitsipas, who won the ATP Next Gen Finals in Milan last year, broke his opponent three times and held off a late comeback to move into the quarter-finals.

The world number 15 will next face Italian Andreas Seppi, who beat Slovakia's Martin Klizan 7-6(2) 6-2.

Home favourite Alex de Minaur was at his ruthless best to dismiss American qualifier Reilly Opelka 6-4 7-6(5), while third seed Diego Schwartzman broke Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez's serve five times en route to a 6-2 6-3 win.

World number one Simona Halep crashed to a straight-sets defeat against unseeded Ashleigh Barty in the second round of the Sydney International on Wednesday. Halep, playing in her first tournament since a back injury cut short her 2018 season in September, lost 6-4 6-4 in 87 minutes with the result dealing a blow to her Australian Open preparations.

World number one Simona Halep crashed to a straight-sets defeat against unseeded Ashleigh Barty in the second round of the Sydney International on Wednesday. Halep, playing in her first tournament since a back injury cut short her 2018 season in September, lost 6-4 6-4 in 87 minutes with the result dealing a blow to her Australian Open preparations. Australian Barty, who is ranked 15th in the world, fired 26 winners and won four out of seven break points as she recorded her first victory over a reigning world number one. "I finally learned my lesson," said Barty, who had suffered two straight-sets defeats by Halep last year. "She gave me a belting in Montreal. I learnt a little bit more in Cincinnati, but today I knuckled down and really thought about it and really gave myself a chance. "The biggest thing, I believed that I could I win. Just very happy I was able to come out and execute." The 22-year-old Barty was rewarded with a quarter-final clash against Belgian Elise Mertens, who raced past Estonia's Anett Kontaveit 6-3 6-1. Kazakh qualifier Yulia Putintseva came back from a set and a break down to beat fourth seed Sloane Stephens 3-6 7-6(4) 6-0 in a roller-coaster second round encounter. It was Putintseva's sixth career top 10 victory, and second consecutive win over Stephens following an equally dramatic three-set triumph in Nuremberg last year. Men's top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas eased past Argentine Guido Andreozzi 6-3 6-4 to earn his first Tour-level win over of the new season. Greek youngster Tsitsipas, who won the ATP Next Gen Finals in Milan last year, broke his opponent three times and held off a late comeback to move into the quarter-finals. The world number 15 will next face Italian Andreas Seppi, who beat Slovakia's Martin Klizan 7-6(2) 6-2. Home favourite Alex de Minaur was at his ruthless best to dismiss American qualifier Reilly Opelka 6-4 7-6(5), while third seed Diego Schwartzman broke Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez's serve five times en route to a 6-2 6-3 win.

Simona Halep falls to Barty in Sydney second round

Virat Kohli-led India registered a historic series win against Australia in the Test series that concluded on Monday.&nbsp;

While it was natural for the captain Kohli and his men to go for the ‘victory walk’ around the stadium in Sydney, it was Virat's wife Anushka Sharma who caught the attention after she accompanied her husband.

A fan also posted a video of the two taking the victory walk after India clinched the fourth game Test series.&nbsp;

Opting to bat in the final Test, India took a commanding position as Cheteswar Pujara and stumper Rishabh Pant's scintillating 193 and 159-run respective knock guided India to a massive 622/7 in their first innings.&nbsp;

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India then rode chinaman Kuldeep Yadav's fifer to bundle out the home side on 300 runs before enforcing a follow-on.

Australia were six for no loss in their second innings and play wasn't possible on the final day of the Test due to incessant rains as the contest ended in draw.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli-led India registered a historic series win against Australia in the Test series that concluded on Monday. While it was natural for the captain Kohli and his men to go for the ‘victory walk’ around the stadium in Sydney, it was Virat's wife Anushka Sharma who caught the attention after she accompanied her husband.

Virat Kohli-led India registered a historic series win against Australia in the Test series that concluded on Monday. While it was natural for the captain Kohli and his men to go for the ‘victory walk’ around the stadium in Sydney, it was Virat's wife Anushka Sharma who caught the attention after she accompanied her husband. A fan also posted a video of the two taking the victory walk after India clinched the fourth game Test series. Opting to bat in the final Test, India took a commanding position as Cheteswar Pujara and stumper Rishabh Pant's scintillating 193 and 159-run respective knock guided India to a massive 622/7 in their first innings. View this post on Instagram Winning couple💏💏💏. @virat.kohli @anushkasharma #viratkohli #anushkasharma #virushka #virataddicted A post shared by Virat Addicted 👑🔥♥️ (@virataddicted.01) on Jan 6, 2019 at 8:40pm PST × India then rode chinaman Kuldeep Yadav's fifer to bundle out the home side on 300 runs before enforcing a follow-on. Australia were six for no loss in their second innings and play wasn't possible on the final day of the Test due to incessant rains as the contest ended in draw.

Watch: Wife Anushka goes on ‘victory walk’ with Virat Kohli in Sydney

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